VINACDE | FEATURE DEEP DIVE

VinaCDE CDE Library: Managing Construction Drawings and Revisions

Uploading a drawing does not automatically mean it is approved for construction. What matters is identifying the correct revision, information status and people authorized to use it. VinaCDE CDE Library organizes project information through a clear process, from creation and sharing to publication and archiving.

1. Why is centralized file storage not enough?

The same construction drawing may pass between designers, project managers, main contractors and specialist subcontractors. Each party needs different information at different stages. When files are scattered across email, personal drives and messaging groups, confirming the current authorized version can consume valuable time.

Putting everything in a shared folder reduces the risk of lost files, but it does not establish information governance. Teams still need to know who created a document, who reviewed it, who can issue it and which drawing is suitable for site use. Without these rules, one central folder can contain several competing “final” versions.

A Common Data Environment (CDE) addresses both the information and the process. Documents carry a status, revision, responsibility and access permissions. Users can therefore understand not only where a drawing is located, but also where it stands in the information management lifecycle.

2. What is the difference between WIP, Shared, Published and Archived?

VinaCDE CDE Library organizes documents into four information areas: WIP, Shared, Published and Archived. This structure distinguishes internal work from information shared for coordination or formally issued, helping teams avoid using drawings before the required reviews are complete.

WIP (Work in Progress) is the area where authors develop and revise information. The responsible team can work on drawings before they are shared. A file in WIP is not automatically suitable for construction.

Shared supports coordination and review. For example, an MEP team may receive structural drawings to check pipe routes. The recipient must understand the purpose of the exchange rather than assume the file is an approved construction drawing.

Published contains information that has completed the necessary review and authorization steps for a defined purpose. Actual use depends on the scope of issue and any conditions established by the project.

Archived preserves the information record. When a drawing is superseded or a project phase ends, earlier records remain useful for tracing decisions, resolving issues and reviewing the work performed.

WIPIn development

SharedShared for coordination

PublishedIssued information

ArchivedRecord retention

Editorial illustration: Information areas in CDE Library.

3. Practical scenario: An MEP drawing changes during construction

Consider a high-rise project where MEP installation is underway on level 12. The site team has received a planned pipe routing drawing. During coordination, designers identify a potential clash with a structural element and need to adjust the route.

The designers update the drawing in their working area. However, the new revision should not be sent straight to the site before coordination checks are completed. It can move to Shared for multidisciplinary review and then be issued through the project’s agreed process once the criteria are met.

In this case, the highest revision number is not necessarily the revision authorized for construction. Site teams must check status, issue purpose and approval responsibility. CDE Library makes these distinctions easier to manage than relying on filenames or modification dates alone.

This scenario illustrates a common workflow and does not describe a specific customer project. Its value lies in ensuring that every discipline works from a consistently governed source of information.

4. Naming conventions and metadata: Finding the right information

When a project contains thousands of documents, informal names such as “Drawing_Final”, “Drawing_New” or “Drawing_Final_Updated” quickly become confusing. A filename alone may not communicate discipline, area, phase, document type and revision.

VinaCDE supports naming conventions and document properties so project participants can identify information consistently. Fields such as Discipline, Phase, Level and Zone can be incorporated into a project-specific structure. Teams can search by document characteristics rather than memorizing long filenames.

Standardization should start during project setup. If each contractor uses its own codes, even centralized storage will not deliver a consistent search experience. Project managers should define required fields, permitted values and responsibility for data quality.

A useful document management environment should allow newcomers to find what they need without repeatedly asking individual colleagues. Naming conventions and metadata are fundamental to that goal.

Information field	Role in document management
Discipline	Discipline classification
Phase	Project stage
Level / Zone	Location grouping
Revision	Update identification
CDE status	Permitted use and information status

5. Revision control and change history

Drawings change repeatedly due to design decisions, interdisciplinary coordination and site issues. Every revision should be understood in context: what changed, which version it replaces and which review steps have been completed.

VinaCDE supports document version management and history, giving users a basis for comparing successive updates. Rather than overwriting old files and losing traceability, a project can maintain the relationship between revisions and use each document according to its status.

For example, designers may move a technical access opening after feedback from the MEP team. If a site crew still relies on an outdated local copy, rework may follow. A well-managed CDE reduces the risk of confusion when teams consistently consult the official issued information.

To make revision control effective, agree when a new revision is required, who reviews it and how affected teams are notified. Technology provides traceability; coordinated working rules ensure that changes reach the right people.

Revision 01Earlier revision

FeedbackChanges requested

Revision 02Updated revision

Issued informationThrough approval process

Editorial illustration: Document revisions and review cycles.

6. Access permissions: The right people, files and actions

Many organizations participate in a project, but not all should view, edit or publish every file. Access must be designed around actual responsibilities, not merely the convenience of sharing documents.

VinaCDE provides permissions across document scopes and participant groups, allowing project administrators to control actions in the environment. Permission to view a document does not automatically include permission to edit or manage it.

A specialist subcontractor may need access to issued drawings relevant to its scope without being allowed to edit source design information. Similarly, a consultant may review a document without being authorized to issue it on behalf of the owner.

Permissions should be revisited when staff change, new contractors join or the project enters a new phase. Access configured at the start may create risks if it remains unchanged throughout delivery.

7. How CDE Library supports project collaboration

A drawing does not exist separately from the work it supports. Teams need to record clashes, clarify design requirements and manage formal document reviews and responses.

VinaCDE brings document management together with Review Workflow, Issues, RFIs, RFAs/Submittals and Transmittals. Each workflow serves a distinct purpose, from recording issues and obtaining clarification to reviewing submissions and distributing information to recipients.

For instance, a contractor may raise an RFI about an unclear dimension. Once a response is received, the specialist team can revise the relevant document, complete the necessary review and issue updated information to those affected. Managing these activities within one environment helps preserve the context behind decisions.

The goal is not to make every conversation complex. It is to identify which decisions require a formal record, who owns each action and where the final outcome is stored.

Files / CDEDrawing management

Issue / RFIRecord and clarify

SubmittalsSubmission review

TransmittalsDocument distribution

Editorial illustration: Information collaboration activities; not a fixed automated workflow.

8. Four steps to implement CDE Library in Vietnam

Step 1 — Standardize the structure: agree on WIP, Shared, Published and Archived, along with naming rules, disciplines, phases and zones. Keep the rules simple enough for multiple organizations to follow.

Step 2 — Define responsibilities: identify who creates, checks, approves and issues information. Set access permissions to reflect those roles rather than allowing everyone to edit every file.

Step 3 — Pilot a document category: start with frequently updated design drawings or shop drawings. Run one complete process from drafting to issue before moving every document into the system.

Step 4 — Measure operational quality: review naming compliance, time spent finding information, cases of outdated revisions being used and the ability to retrieve history. Use the findings to improve the next phase.

Ultimately, CDE success is not measured by the number of uploaded files. It is demonstrated when teams find accurate information, understand its status and collaborate according to agreed responsibilities.

Conclusion

VinaCDE CDE Library helps project teams organize information by status, control revisions and permissions, and connect documents to collaboration workflows. When all parties follow shared information rules, the CDE becomes a dependable foundation for managing information throughout the construction project lifecycle.

👉 If you need guidance on a BIM & CDE implementation roadmap aligned with Vietnamese regulations, the VinaCDE team is ready to help. Contact us for consultation and a FREE 1-ON-1 DEMO!!

Email: sales@tgl-sol.com

Hotline: 0377 359 728

VinaCDE CDE Library: Managing Construction Drawings and Revisions

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